As 2016 draws to a close, it's time to name the year's biggest winners. Here's a spotlight on those who won, though not always in the conventional sense:

The crème de la crème is a no-brainer: President-elect Donald Trump. Sure, Trump-haters will disagree, but sadly, they cannot admit a simple truth. He won, fair and square. There was no hacking, and Russia didn't alter a single vote at the ballot box. Is it hard to take for the anti-Trumpers? How could it not be? After all, this election was "in the bag" for Hillary Clinton — all the more reason Donald Trump deserves his Winner of the Year honor.

He went from political obscurity to cocktail party joke, then from theatrical entertainer to mildly viable threat. Yet in the blink of an eye, despite spending little money and uttering insults that would have left others for dead, Trump's star kept rising, eventually winning out over sixteen other candidates.

And despite all the predictions that Hillary's coronation would not be — could not be — derailed a second time, a funny thing happened to everyone's surprise, not the least of whom was the candidate himself: Trump won.

How he will govern remains to be seen, but one thing seems certain: Donald Trump will either be very effective, or a dismal failure as Commander-in-Chief. As with all things Trump, there is no gray area. Here's hoping he can bring the country together.

— Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader managed to inject himself front-and-center onto the world stage on nearly every issue. He kept NATO countries on edge by repeated incursions into their territories; strongly supported Syrian President Assad, especially in Aleppo; and, of course, stands accused of hacking emails from the Democratic National Committee. It doesn't matter if you love or hate him, but Putin, as head of a population-declining former superpower, has made a remarkable return to relevance.

— The American people. Once again, we set a shining example about what a peaceful transition of power looks like. In a world where despots rule most countries, and sham elections are the norm — if elections are held at all — the United States' adherence to the rule of law, and the people's acceptance of the outcome, continues to amaze. Sure, some whine and threaten to move to France, but no one does, for good reason: America is still, by far, the most benevolent and free nation in the history of the world.

— Saturday Night Live. After years mired in mediocrity, the iconic comedy show has experienced a resurgence. For that, we should thank Alec Baldwin. The actor absolutely nailed his impersonation of the president-elect, so much so that Trump himself seemed to imitate Baldwin during one of the debates. The only downside is that Trump has been criticizing the show rather than making a guest appearance alongside Baldwin. There's still time, so here's hoping, since it would likely be the one of the most viewed segments in television history.

— Arizona. The Grand Canyon State became the first in the nation to require cursive writing be taught in schools. Sure, Millennials will tell you that cursive is extinct. But as is so often the case with that generation, they are wrong. Laptops and smart phones rule the day, but communication via handwriting, from medical forms to work memos, is still highly important. Cursive writing will never completely fade away, and is easier and more formal than printing.

Addiction to technology is making people extensions of their machines, evaporating their humanity. So well done, Arizona, for keeping our children from becoming total robots.

— Refugees. Europe's open door policy for Middle Eastern refugees has undeniably created a better life for those people. But at what cost? European countries are lavishing upon them benefits that are simply unaffordable. Many are unskilled, limiting viable job prospects, which allows them to sip lattes on Europe's grand boulevards while Europeans are risking life and limb fighting in the Middle East.

Admitting unvetted immigrants in huge numbers has been brewing intense resentment. The elitist critics label that bitterness "racist" and "xenophobic," but for the most part, it's not. It's common sense, because Europe's economies and cultures are simply not equipped to deal with such an influx.

But the biggest winner is ISIS, as it keeps shuttling warriors into Europe under the guise of refugees. Attacks are becoming more commonplace, yet the policy continues. When will Europe learn?

— Michael Phelps. For a guy who retired after the 2012 Olympics, Phelps stormed back to win six more medals in Rio, making him the most decorated Olympian of all time — as close to perfection as it gets. Best of all, he's a class act.